Need help with internet upgrade!!

[Canon_For_Life]

Hey everybody,

I'm in the process of going from wired internet to wireless internet throughout my home. Right now I have AT&T and i have I believe the basic plan, 20 bucks a month and only about 768 KB/s down and I'm upgrading to the one that gives you 3 MB/s down which is 30 bucks a month.

Now, here's where I need help. Since I'm going wireless, I know I'll need a new router and modem, so what do I get?

I want something pretty good as I'm going to be setting up 3 desktops (2 upstairs, 1 downstairs) and one laptop that will be upstairs, downstairs and in the back yard. I know that's going to make for a lot of internet traffic as 2 will be being used at almost all times, so I want something that can handle all of that.

So my questions are:

1. Which modem?
2. Which router?
3. Which wireless network adapters for the 3 desktops?
4. What do I do to connect the laptop to the internet wirelessly?

I might have more questions later, but those are the main ones i need help with right now.

BTW, I'm located in Garden Grove California, so I have a Frys electronics and a Best Buy nearby. I'm also very open to purchasing from Newegg as I have dealt with them a couple times and really like it.

All help, suggestions, tips, hints and whatever else would be greatly appreciated!!


Thanks,
-Mike

[xarqi]

It may be obvious to others, but I'm confused on a basic point.
Is the plan you are moving to wireless internet from your provider, that is, delivered wirelessly to your premises, or is it, for example delivered via phone line or cable or fibre-optics to your premises, but you want to establish a local wireless network within your premises?

I'm guessing it's the latter, probably DSL, in which case I'd recommend a DSL modem/802.11g gateway/ethernet hub combined unit, like -->this (http://www.linksysbycisco.com/ANZ/en/products/WAG54G)<--
Since 802.11g can carry a greater bandwidth than the plan you are moving to, it shouldn't be a bottleneck.

Any computer near the modem can attach directly with a CAT5/6 ethernet cable. Those attaching wirelessly to the modem will need 802.11g capability (often called "WiFi"). The Macs I use all have this built in, except a very old G3 where a small USB adaptor is needed. In the PC world, the situation is probably similar.

If it is the other broad alternative, of wireless delivery to your premises, I don't have the experience to advise.

[rent]

1. AT&T should provide you with a modem appropriate for your account, most likely your existing modem should still work if you are upgrading to a faster account.

2. i would recommend you go with an 802.11n router, especially if you plan on shuffling a lot of data between computers on your local network like backing up your photos or multimedia streaming. for high-def video streaming, your best bet is still a wired connection.

one of the best and most stable routers i have used was the dlink dir-655. it isn't cheap, ($90) but it stays on for months on end, unlike some of the linksys or netgear routers i tried (i have a very heavily loaded network, so ymmv).

3. for desktops wireless adapters, best is probably to go with the same brand as your router. obviously if you are going to get an 802.11n router, you'd want n-adapters. if you are comfortable with opening up your computer, you can go with internal cards which is generally cheaper. otherwise look for USB adapters by the same manufacturer.

4. assuming you have a relatively late model laptop, it should have built-in wireless. check the router's owners manual for instructions. it should be pretty straight forward.

lastly, don't forget to set up proper security for your wireless network.

-alex

[rklepper]

I use the Apple Airport Extreme and love it. I even stream my iTunes to my home stereo.

Excellent router.

[xarqi]

Good advice from ~rent~ there, particularly with respect to the benefits of 802.11n if you will have a lot of traffic within your wireless network, as opposed to that between it and the internet at large.

As mentioned, your mileage may vary, but my experience with my Linksys WAG200G has been excellent, with perfect stability from day one - over a year now. That particular model is now discontinued, but it gives me confidence in the brand.

[Canon_For_Life]

Some great advice here everybody and thank you for that so far, I would still love to hear more though!! ;)

And yes xarqi, There is a line that comes to my house (phone line and such) and i just want to make it so that I can have a wireless set-up in my home for the 4 computers. I'm not sure if that makes any more sense though haha.

What do you guys think about this? Would this work good?: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=9064282&st=router&lp=4&type=product&cp=2&id=1218015167843

[xarqi]

Some great advice here everybody and thank you for that so far, I would still love to hear more though!! ;)

And yes xarqi, There is a line that comes to my house (phone line and such) and i just want to make it so that I can have a wireless set-up in my home for the 4 computers. I'm not sure if that makes any more sense though haha.

What do you guys think about this? Would this work good?: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=9064282&st=router&lp=4&type=product&cp=2&id=1218015167843

All clear now, and that Netgear modem/router/gateway is the type of thing you need. Can't comment on reliability of that unit though - try some review sites.